Eriocaulon cinereum (Pipewort) care guide
Eriocaulon cinereum · Eriocaulaceae
Eriocaulon cinereum (Pipewort) (Eriocaulon cinereum) is an aquatic plant. It belongs to the Eriocaulaceae family. It is native to Very wide: Africa, South, Southeast and East Asia (including Vietnam) and northern Australia; shallow, temporarily flooded ground, especially rice paddies. It needs high light. Water temperature: 20°C – 28°C. pH: 5.5 – 7.0. Care difficulty: Demanding. Growth rate: slow.
How do you care for Eriocaulon cinereum (Pipewort)?
| Light | High (with good CO₂ and light the rosette centre can turn golden) |
|---|---|
| CO₂ | Required |
| Temperature | 20°C – 28°C |
| pH | 5.5 – 7.0 |
| Placement | Foreground – small cushion rosettes |
| Growth | Slow |
| Difficulty | Demanding |
| Family | Eriocaulaceae |
How do you trim and propagate Eriocaulon cinereum (Pipewort)?
No leaf trimming — just remove decaying outer leaves, and cut flower stalks if you don’t want them. Propagate by carefully separating daughter rosettes (roughly monthly in good conditions); avoid moving the plant, as its long roots are easily damaged. Eriocaulon sp. ‘Vietnam’ — a related trade form, taller with bright-green needle leaves, used as a midground accent — is also divided and responds poorly to trimming.
What problems affect Eriocaulon cinereum (Pipewort)?
Leaves melting after planting as nursery-grown emersed plants switch to submersed growth; weakening or die-back after flowering, which costs a lot of energy (in the wild it behaves as an annual); algae on the rosette because it grows slowly under strong light.
How do you fix Eriocaulon cinereum (Pipewort) problems?
Plant into deep, rich aquasoil with the roots fully covered; emersed-grown plants can be laid on their side (held with a stone) so new growth turns upward without the old leaves rotting at the crown; keep CO₂ stable and wait for submersed leaves. After flowering it may regrow from the base — keep offsets as backup. Balance nutrients and CO₂, add root tabs and algae grazers. Most sources advise soft, acidic water, though Tropica says this species copes with medium-hard water better than most of the genus.
Where does Eriocaulon cinereum (Pipewort) come from?
Very wide: Africa, South, Southeast and East Asia (including Vietnam) and northern Australia; shallow, temporarily flooded ground, especially rice paddies
Sources
- Eriocaulon cinereum R.Br. - World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew) via GBIF — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew / GBIF
- Eriocaulon cinereum — Tropica Aquarium Plants
- Eriocaulon cinereum — Flowgrow Aquatic Plant Database
- Eriocaulon Cinereum Care Guide — Shrimp and Snail Breeder
- Eriocaulon sp. 'Vietnam' — Tropica Aquarium Plants
- Eriocaulon sp Vietnam Aquarium Plant — Buce Plant
Care details checked against these sources on 2026-09-23.
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